Ramsay's Fan Palm

Ramsay's Fan Palm (Licuala ramsayi) carries the most architectural frond of any palm we grow: a near circular blade, pleated like a folded fan, on a slim clean trunk. In a garden it settles at around 5m tall and 3m wide, and it gets there slowly, which is why it suits courtyards and pots where a faster palm would outgrow the space. It is a Queensland rainforest native, so it wants warmth, shelter and moisture rather than blazing sun.

Why you'll love it

• A frond nothing else matches. The circular pleated leaves read as sculpture, so one plant does the work of a garden bed.
• Slow by nature. It takes years to add height, so it holds its scale in a courtyard and stays potted far longer than most palms.
• Happy with wet feet. Unusually for a palm it tolerates damp ground, so the soggy low corner of the garden becomes an asset.
• An Australian native that draws birds. Cream flowers are followed by fruit that native birds work through in a warm garden.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Set it where the fronds get backlit, and give it about 3m of clearance so the leaves are never crushed against a fence.

Poolside and courtyards. It sheds little and tolerates humidity, which makes it a cleaner poolside choice than a heavy fruiting palm.

Pots, balconies and indoors. The slow growth suits container life, though indoors it needs a genuinely bright spot near a window, not a dim corner.

Growing Ramsay's Fan Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade is ideal, particularly while young, when full sun scorches the leaf edges. It is tropical and subtropical, and frost tender, so cool temperate and frost prone inland gardens need it in a pot that can move under cover. Shelter matters as much as warmth, because wind shreds the fronds.

Soil. Rich, organic and moisture holding. Work compost and aged manure through the planting hole, then mulch 75mm deep to keep the root zone cool and damp.

Water and feed. This is a high water plant, not a drought palm. Keep the soil consistently moist through the warm months, easing back in winter. Feed a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Almost none. Remove old fronds once they have browned off, cutting close to the trunk, and never cut into the crown, because it grows from a single point that will not recover if damaged.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 300mm and 400mm pots through to 60L, 100L, 200L, 300L and 600L. Because it is so slow, size is the main thing you are buying: a 300mm plant is young with years of patience ahead, while 100L and larger arrive with a formed trunk and real presence.

Fronds are tied for transit and may show a crease or a browned tip on arrival, which is normal and grows out. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in our palm, fern and tropical range.
• Read the overview of palm tree varieties.
• Browse more plants for poolside gardens.
• See the wider tropical plant collection.

Common questions

Will it grow in Sydney or Melbourne?

Sheltered warm pockets of Sydney can suit it, but it is frost tender and unhappy in cold, dry air. In Melbourne and other cool temperate gardens, grow it in a pot you can shift under cover for winter.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, even in ideal tropical conditions. Expect a few new fronds a year rather than obvious height, so buy the size you actually want.

Can I grow it indoors long term?

Yes, given bright indirect light, steady moisture and humidity. Dry indoor air browns the frond tips, so group it with other plants or sit the pot on a pebble tray.